Testimonials

“I was homeless with no place to stay. I had been in a women’s shelter and then living in a tent before KCR referred me to Kitsap Homes of Compassion’s Affordable Home Program for women. I have been living in the KHOC home for a month now, and it is wonderful to be in a warm house. I am very grateful for this home that I can share with four other women.”

L. – Resident of KHOC Women’s house

“This Home of Compassion provided hope to me because it prevented me from becoming homeless when I had to suddenly move out of my previous subsidized apartment. This housing provided my life with peace and harmony, as without a secure home there was no peace.”

I. – Resident of KHOC Women’s house

“There are many individuals, especially the elderly that live on a fixed income. Due to rents continuing to increase many are being displaced from their housing. Kitsap Homes of Compassion program is using existing housing in our community to make rent affordable by renting rooms. This program is helping house individuals that were either homeless or at risk of losing their housing.”

Bridget Glasspoole, Housing Solutions Center-Manager, KCR Bremerton

“Their team is some of the most amazing compassionate people I have ever had the pleasure to work with in the nine years I have worked in social services.”

“I, myself, ___, ____, and ___ are VERY happy living here, after the long hard road we all have traveled – this house is truly a home. The spacious rooms, the constant care and kindness from you (KHOC staff)… we want you to know how much it means to us. Be assured that this wonderful house has meant the difference between life and death. It has revived my faith in God and assured me that though iniquity abounds, the love of some has not grown cold.”

S. – Resident of KHOC Men’s house

Awards

2018 Innovative Program Award –

Awarded to “Kitsap Homes of Compassion” on Dec. 19, 2018 on behalf of the Kitsap Housing and Homelessness Coalition. We received the award for our innovative solution towards ending homelessness in Kitsap County and the creation of the KHOC organization. (Presented by Continuum Committee Chair – Monica Bernhard, Kitsap Mental Health Services and Kirsten Jewell, Kitsap County Housing and Homelessness Program Coordinator)

Statistics

⇒ 90% of KHOC residents were previously living in their vehicle or in a tent, from months to years, before moving into a KHOC home, or were previously living in a temporary homeless shelter.

⇒ Between KHOC’s first home (Sep. 2018) and Dec. 31, 2019, KHOC has housed 82 individuals. As of Dec. 31, 2019, 68% were still living in a KHOC house, 13% moved on to better long-term housing (moved in with friends/relatives/nursing homes/own apartment/ etc. and used KHOC as safe, transitional housing), 14% were terminated from the program due to repeated rule violation (i.e. their mental condition was too severe for them to be able to abide by the rules and they probably need a higher level of care than can be provided with KHOC’s program), and 5% voluntarily chose to go back to homelessness (probably due to the severity of a mental condition). Thus, 4 out of 5 people were successfully housed with KHOC’s program.

(Note: These statistics represent KHOC participants, and KHOC’s focus is on the chronically homeless, and is not a representative sample set of all homeless in Kitsap County. Studies have shown that many short-term homeless often do not have any mental, health, or chemical dependency issues, whereas chronically homeless have a higher percentage of these issues. Nationwide studies have estimated that around 25% of homeless are chronic homeless and 75% are one-time (short-term) homeless. HUD’s definition of chronic homeless is being homeless for over 1 year or having 4 episodes of homelessness in a 2 year period.)